In This Together
by Micaiah
Summary: Tag for episode 5.3. Spoilers up to that episode. What will happen when Dean finds out Lucifer's plans for Sam? Rated T for some language.


**Spoilers if you haven't seen up to 5.03.**

**So, yeah, I know it isn't going to happen like this but I want those boys back together soon.**

**I posted a tag for episode 5.02 last week called Two Sides of the Coin. It was each boy's POV as they separated. I'd love for you to check it out.**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Sam collapsed onto the bed, his legs no longer able to support him. Lucifer's words were still ringing in his ears.

_Dean._

He had to call his brother, had to tell him about this.

_Why?_

He couldn't have any more secrets, not after everything that happened with Ruby.

_What difference does it make?_

Dean could help him fight this.

_He doesn't want to be around me._

They had both agreed to time apart.

_I need my brother._

Resolutely Sam picked up his cell phone, scrolled to Dean's number and hit send. The call went to voice mail. "This is Dean. You know the drill."

"Dean, it's me. I..uh…I need to talk to you. I just….please, Dean, call me."

_He's not going to call._

"SHUT UP!"

_He's not._

* * *

Sam had fallen asleep with his hand curled around his cell phone. When he finally woke up the next morning the battery was dead. Sam fumbled in his pack for the charger. When he plugged the phone up, he could see there were no missed calls, no voice mails.

Sam furiously blinked back the tears that came to his eyes. When the phone in his hand began to ring, he almost dropped it from surprise. The number belonged to Bobby. Sam cleared his throat and answered the call.

"Hey Bobby, what's up?" He almost sounded normal.

"We're on our way, Sam."

"What?"

"Me, Dean. Coming to you. You did call Dean, right?"

"Yeah, but…." He only wanted to talk to Dean. He hadn't expected him to come running. Those days were over.

"Look, he's in the gas station paying for gas and would kill me if he knew I was calling you."

"Then why are you?"

"He was at my place when he got your message last night. He dropped everything to get to you. He's trying to put on the happy face but he's not happy, Sam. You boys need each other."

"Bobby…."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You're a danger…blah, blah, blah…." Bobby huffed into the phone. "You boys are better together and you know that."

That sounded vaguely familiar. Sam clutched the phone tightly, unsure of what to say.

"Sam, I know you have things to muddle through but in the meantime the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Don't you think you should be with your family in times like this?"

"Bobby, I'm not sure Dean is going to want to be with me when he hears what I have to tell him."

"What do you-aw, crap, here he comes. See you soon and you never talked to me." The connection was broken and Sam was left wondering what would happen when Dean and Bobby showed up at his door.

* * *

When the knock at the door came, Sam suddenly found he was nervous. He wanted to come clean with Dean, prove that he could be trusted but he was so scared of rejection once his brother found out what he truly was.

"Dean, what are you doing here?" He tried to sound surprised as he opened the door.

Dean helped Bobby steer his wheelchair through the door. "I'll give you an A for effort on that one, Sammy." He glared at Bobby. "You called him, didn't you?"

"So, what if I did? What are you going to do about it? Hit a man in a wheelchair?"

"You know, you can only milk that chair so many times."

"Hey, as long as I can." Bobby gave him a grim smile. "I've earned that much."

Dean rolled his eyes but Sam knew his brother wasn't angry at Bobby. He was only trying to make things less awkward. Nice try but it didn't get much more awkward than trying to tell someone you're Lucifer's vessel.

"Why did you come, Dean?"

"You called me."

"I just needed to talk to you."

"Well, here I am. Start talking."

"Dean….."

This would have been so much easier over the phone. He wouldn't have had to look his brother in the eye and tell him how right their Dad had been when he'd told Dean he'd have to kill him or save him. There was no saving him now.

Sam sat down on the edge of the bed as Dean pulled up a chair from across the room. Sam stared at his hands, not sure where to start.

"Sammy, whatever it is…"

"I'm Lucifer's vessel, Dean." There. It was out. How hard was that?

Sam spared a glance at his brother and then quickly lowered his eyes. Dean's face was a hard mask. Bobby leaned forward in his chair.

"How do you know that, son?" Bobby's voice was gruff but somehow soothing. Better than the silence from his brother.

"He told me. He was here….I mean, he wasn't really….but I saw him! He said I was his true vessel. He made me see Jess….." Sam broke off at the thought of Jess. God, how he wished it had really been her.

"What the hell?" Bobby raked his hand across his face. "One of you is Michael and the other is Lucifer? I think there must be something big your dad left out of his journal."

"Maybe he didn't know," said Sam. He carefully avoided looking at Dean. "Maybe it was just something in his blood….or Mom's. Castiel said it was in Jimmy and his daughter. Maybe whatever was in Mom or Dad was passed on to us. Maybe it's passed on for generations and nobody knows until the angels need to use them."

"And you boys drew the short straw."

Sam nodded, studying the pattern on the rug. From the corner of his eye he saw Dean rise from his chair and begin pacing back and forth. He was agitated, Sam understood that. He just wasn't sure how Dean was going to take what he said next.

"Bobby, I….uh…I need you to do some research for me."

"Sure, kid. What do you need?"

"I…um..I need….I need a way to kill myself so that an angel can't bring me back."

A loud crash across the room brought Sam to his feet. He turned in time to see Dean clutch his bloody hand close to his chest, the mirror above the dresser in splinters.

"Dean!" Sam grabbed a towel that was lying on the bed and wrapped it around his brother's hand. "That's gonna need some stitches."

Dean allowed himself to be guided back to the chair. Sam grabbed his first aid kit but when he tried to look at Dean's hand, Dean jumped up and resumed pacing.

"Something on your mind?" Bobby said sardonically.

Dean paused in his pacing only long enough to scowl at Bobby. Sam gave Bobby a questioning look but all he could do was shrug.

"Dean, whatever it is, just say it." Sam sighed. "It can't get much worse than what I've already heard."

Dean stopped pacing and slowly turned to look at his brother. His face was twisted in a combination of grief and rage.

"You think I'm angry at you?" The pain in Dean's voice surprised Sam.

"Um, well, I thought you'd be mad because I wanted to kill myself. But I thought it was a good idea….since I'm weak and…um…can't be, you know, trusted. Lucifer told me I will say yes to him and I believe him, Dean."

"Damn it, Sammy." Dean turned away from him again and Sam could see his brother shaking.

"He can't get in if you don't give your consent, Sam." Bobby wheeled over closer to him. "All you have to do is say no."

"We're talking about the devil, for crying out loud!" Sam threw his hands up. "Who can resist him? I couldn't even resist a demon."

"Bobby," Dean kept his back turned to them. "What Sam asked, is it possible?"

"What? To kill yourself so an angel can't bring you back?"

"Yes. Can we do that?"

"I don't know. I'd say it will take me awhile to figure that one out."

"Dean, what are you saying?" Sam crossed the room to stand by his brother.

Dean turned to look at him, eyes full of tears. "I'm saying we do this our way. It's what I said before but this time I mean it. I'm not going to stand around and wait for some angel to trick its way into one of us. I'm not going to be a pawn in some demon/angel war."

"Dean, I don't want you to die, not because of me."

"Not because of you, Sammy, but for you….and for me."

"What?"

"I can't keep watching you suffer. I mean, God, how much more do you have to take? I wanted you back so badly after Cold Oak but it's been nothing but pain for you. I'm so sorry, Sammy. I was so selfish."

"But that doesn't mean you have to die."

"Sammy, don't you understand? We're family. We're in this together." Dean gave him a grim smile. "And besides, I don't want to do this without you. If I've learned anything in the last little bit, it's that. I don't want to be alone, Sam. We're better together."

Sam swallowed hard as he realized what they were planning to do. "So, what are we going to do in the meantime?"

Finally Sam was rewarded with his brother's smirky grin, the one that said he was up to no good. "I say we raise some hell and kill some evil sons of bitches."


End file.
